Can opener



Aprl 30, 1935.

P. H. FARRELL 1,999,689

CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov l5, 1955 :lil \U ATTORNEY- pril 30, 1935. P', ||l FARRELL 1,999,689

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5%@ HMM ATTORNEY- Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Philip H. Farrell, Flushing, NSY.

Application Novemberl, 1933, Serial No. 698,072

4 Claims. (Cl. 164-120) This invention relates to a can opener.

The object of the invention is the production of a can opener with which cans of different diameters and depths can have one or a pair of openings simultaneously pierced through their covers.

This application is in part a division of my application for Can opener led May 11, 1933, Serial Number 670,394.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l represents a side view, partly in vertical section of one form of the improved can opener; Fig. 2 shows a left hand side view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a right hand side view of Fig. l; Fig. 4 shows a side view of the can opener indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in operative position with a large can shown in vertical section and a small can shown in dotted lines; Fig. 5 represents'a rear view of another form of the can opener; Fig. 6 is a left hand side view and section of Fig. 5 on the line 6, 6, with a fragmentary portion of a large can in vertical I section; Fig. 7 indicates a left hand side view of Fig. 5 with a fragmentary portion of a small can in vertical section; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary portion of Fig. '1 with a modication; Fig. 9 represents a front view of another form of the can opener; Fig. 10 indicates a partial left hand side view and partial section of Fig. 9 on the'line i0, l and Fig. 11 shows a section of Fig. 10 on the line H,

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the can opener in this instance is indicated to comprise the lower supporting arm 20, with the supporting heel 2| at the lower end thereof and the intermediate supporting heel 22 spaced from the heel 2|. The

latter heel in this instance is pressed from the arm 20, leaving the opening 23. A shoulder 24 is indicated above and adjacent to the supporting heel 22. The upper portion of the supporting arm is shown at 25 and is Wider than the lower portion of said arm. A pair of ears 26 are formed at the upper end of the portion 25.

An operating lever 30 has integral therewith at its lower end the ear 3|, which is hinged to the ears 26 by the hinge pin 32. At the lower portion of the lever 30 are indicated integral therewith the oppositely positioned perforating cutters 36 and 38. Adjacent to the other end of the lever 30 is indicated the perforating cutter 40, which latter is on the same side of the lever 30 as the cutter 38. An intermediate perforating cutter 42 extends from the lever 30 on the same side thereof as the cutter 36. It will be noted that the cutters 38 and 40 on one side of the lever 30 are spaced from each other a greater distance apart, than the cutters 36 and 42 on the .opposite side of the lever 30.

To perforate openings in the large can, the supporting arm 20 is positioned to bear against the flanges 41 and 49 of the cylindrical wall 45, with the heel 2| bearing up against the bottom cover 48 of the can. The operating lever 30 is swung to a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 4, and the perforating cutters 38 and 40 perforate the top cover 46 with a pair of openings adjacent to the inner face of the cylindrical wall 45 of the can. The operator then raises the operating lever 33 and clears the cutters 38 and 40 from the openings made therewith and moves the can opener to another position to repeat the perforating operation if desired.

A small can is shown in Fig. 4 in dotted lines and is indicated with the cylindrical wall 52, the top cover 53 with the flange 54, and the bottom cover 56 with the flange 51. To perforate the small can it is brought to bear against the upper portion 25 of the supporting arm 20, with the bottom cover 56 supported on the heel 22. The operating lever is swung to drive the perforating cutters 36 and 42 through the top cover 53 to perforate the same. The operating lever 30 is then swung up and the can opener is moved to another position to repeat the perforating operation if desired. 4

Referring to Figs. to '1 inclusive the can opener is indicated with the supporting arm 60, having the thickened upper portion 6|, and the supporting heel having the vertical member 62 and horizontal supporting ange 63 fastened to its lower end. An elongated opening 66 is indicated in the supporting arm 60. A shoulder or rabbet 61 is formed with the arm 60 at the upper end of its opening 66. In the opening-66 is indicated the supplemental supporting arm 68 having a forked end with the members 69 and 19. The said supplemental supporting arm 68 is pivoted to the arm 60 by means of the pivot pin 12. At the upper end of the thickened portion 6| are indicated the ears 11. The operating lever is shown at 80 which at its lower end has integral therewith the ear 8|. The ear 8| is pivoted to the ears 11 by means of the pivot pin 82. A perforating cutter 84 extends fromthe lower end of the lever 83, and a second similar cutter 85 spaced from the cutter 84 land oppositely positioned extends from the lever 80.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6 the large can is indicated with the cylindrical wa1l'45, the top cover 46 with the ange 41 and the bottom cover 48 with the flange 49.

The large can is positioned with its flange 41 bearing against the thickened portion 6| of the supporting arm 60, and the bottom cover 48 is positioned to' bear on the flange 68 of the supporting heel. The supplemental supporting arm 68 is swung to clear the member 69 of its forked end from`the cylindrical wall 45 of the can. The member 69 of the forked end of the arm 68 is positioned against the outer face of the rabbet 61. To perforate openings in cover 46 of the can, the operator swings the operating lever in the direction of the? arrow A, Fig. 6 and the perforating cutters 84 and 85 simultaneously perforate a pair of openings in the top cover 46. If desired the can opener is located in different positions and the operations are repeated to perforate additional pairs of openings in the top cover 46.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7 a small can is indicated with the cylindrical wall 90, the top cover 9| having the fiange 92 and the bottom cover 93 having the flange 94. The supplemental supporting arm 68 is swung to position the outer end of thev member 69 of its forked end under the bottom cover 93 to support the same, the member 10 of the forked end bearing against the rabbet 61. At the same time the thickened portion 6| of the arm 60 is brought to bear against the flange 92 of the top cover of the can. To perforate the top coverk 9| the operating lever 80 is swung in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 'I as described for Fig. 6, and the operations already described for said Fig. 6 are repeated.

Referring particularly to Fig. 8 the operating lever 60 is indicated with only the perforating cutter 84, the cutter being omitted. With this modification the can opener only perforates one opening at a time in the top cover of the cany operated upon.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 1l the can opener is indicated with the supporting arm |00, which is channel shaped in cross section having the vertical fianges |0I.

The supporting heel 02 extends from the lower end of the arm |00. In the upper end of the said arm |00 is slidably supported the plate |05. The latter has fastened thereto the rack having the teeth |06 and the perforating cutter |08. A curved bearing plate I |0 is fastened to the flanges 0| and clears the plate |05 so that the latter can slidevertcally. A bracket 2 with the journal lugs ||3 is fastened to the upper portion of the supporting arm |00. A segmental gear 5 has integral therewith the operating lever 6. The said segmental gear has extending therethrough the pivot pin ||8 with the ends thereof supported in openings in the journal lugs ||3. 'I'he teeth of the segmental gear ||5 are in mesh with the teeth |06 of the rack.

A large can is again shown with the cylindrical wall 45, the top cover 46 with its flange 41, and the lbottom cover 48 with its ange 49.

To operate the can opener shown in Figs. 9, 10, and l1, the bearing plate ||0 is brought to bear against the flange 41 and the heel |02 is brought to bear against the bottom cover 48. The operating lever ||6 is swung up in the direction of the arrow B and the perforating cutter |08 descendsto perforate the top cover 46 of the can.

The lever ||6 is then swung down and the can opener is moved to another position, where the operations are repeated to perforate additional openings in the top cover 46.

y Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exempliflcation is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention I claim:

l. In a can opener the combination of a supporting arm, -a supporting heel at the lower end of the arm, an intermediate supporting heel extending from said arm and spaced from the lower end thereof, an operating lever having its lower end pivoted to the upper end of the supporting arm, a pair of perforating cutters spaced from each other extending from one side of the operating lever and a pair of perforating cutters extending from the other side of said operating lever, one of said pair of cutters 'spaced from each other a greater distance than the other pair.

2. In a can opener the combination of an operating lever of a supporting arm having an elongated opening therethrough, a supplemental supporting arm positioned in said opening and its lower end pivoted to said'supporting arm, a forked end comprising a pair of members integral with said supplemental supporting arm and a cutter extending from said operating lever, said supplemental supporting arm adapted to be positioned with one of the members of its forked end bearing against the bottom cover of a can operate upon. 7

3. In a can opener the combination of a supporting arm having an elongated opening extending therethrough, a rabbet formed with said supporting arm at the upper end of said elongated opening, a suplemental supporting arm positioned in said elongated opening and its lower end pivoted to said arm, a forked end at the upper end of said supplemental supporting arm, said forked end comprising a pair of members, an operating lever pivoted to the upper end of said supporting arm, and a pair of perforating cutters spaced from each other extending from said lever, said supplemental supporting arm adapted to be positioned with one of the members of its forked end bearing against said rabbet and its other member adapted to support a can.

4. In a can opener the combination of a supporting arm having an elongated opening, a rabbet formed with said supporting arm at the upper end of its elongated opening, a supporting heel fastened to the supporting arm, a horizontal supporting flange integral with said heel, a supplemental supporting armv positioned in the elongated opening of said supporting arm and its lower end pivoted to said arm, an upper forked end comprising a pair of members integral with said supplemental Asupporting arm, an operating lever pivoted to the upper end of said supporting arm, and a pair of perforating cutters extending from said operating lever, said supplemental supporting arm adapted to be positioned with one of the members of its forked end bearing against one face of said rabbet to position the other member to bear up against the bottom of a can, and said supplemental supporting arm adapted to be positioned with the other member of its forked end to bear against the other face of said rabbet to clear the wall of a la'rger can supported on the horizontal flange of said supporting heel.

PHILIP H. FARRELL. 

